The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is strongly committed to supporting research aimed at preventing and treating heart, lung, and blood diseases and conditions and sleep disorders.

The NHLBI continues to support research aimed at learning more about sleep disorders, including insomnia. For example, the NHLBI currently is involved in research comparing two nondrug, self-help treatments for insomnia.

In this short video, Oxford University Professor Russell Foster explains that his new findings in neuroscience show that lack of adequate sleep is not just an inconvenience. Sustained sleep disruption or deprivation can now be seen as an early warning system (biomarker) of impending mental illness.

His findings overturn our current ‘knowledge’ that blindness is always associated with a broken sleep/wake circadian system. In fact, our eyes are able to sense light without seeing it. He also discusses how these findings have significant implications for future therapies.